Achakzai under pressure as NA clash revives questions over dialogue role

ISLAMABAD: Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s position as opposition leader has come under renewed scrutiny after a tense exchange in the National Assembly highlighted both his confrontation with the government and mounting pressure from within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf over his role in pursuing political dialogue.

Five months after Achakzai was elevated to the opposition leader’s office amid expectations that he could help steer PTI away from outright confrontation and towards negotiations, proceedings in the lower house on Tuesday pointed instead to a return to political deadlock.

During his speech, Achakzai described the government as "illegal" and accused it of weakening democratic institutions. He also questioned restrictions on the opposition’s political activities and asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif what "crime" the opposition had committed to be denied the right to hold protests and public rallies.

Prime Minister Shehbaz rejected those allegations and defended the legitimacy of his government. The confrontation intensified when the Speaker stepped in and cautioned Achakzai against criticising national institutions on the floor of the House. Opposition members later denounced the Speaker’s intervention, saying it amounted to an effort to suppress dissent in parliament.

Pressure from within PTI

The episode also underscored frustration within PTI over the lack of progress on talks. Ali Muhammad Khan said on the record that the prime minister had invited Achakzai twice for dialogue and that the opposition leader now needed to take a decisive step and deliver on the purpose for which he had been chosen.

Pressure on Achakzai has not remained limited to public commentary. In recent weeks, senior PTI leader Shahid Khattak allegedly warned that both Achakzai and Allama Nasir Abbas could be stripped of their positions and powers if they failed to produce results.

Questions over authority

Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the issue was not Achakzai’s personal capacity but the limits placed on him by those who appointed him. He said Achakzai was a sensible and democratically minded leader who understood how complicated political disputes could be resolved, but argued that he had not been given the authority the position appeared to require.

According to Rashid, that has left Achakzai, the wider opposition and PTI itself dealing with internal difficulties at a time when expectations around his appointment remain unfulfilled.